Why are all the job listings for Dialysis Nurses???

eriksoln, BSN, RN · Jan 4, 2009

Although I surely welcome all comments - it seems that some of you TOO are focusing on my age. Yes, I am 63. Can I do the running, lifting, etc. that is necessary? YES! I certainly proved that while doing my practicum with the refresher course I took. Do I have experience and knowledge that it took 20+ years to obtain. Do I want an acute care setting with all that goes with it? Yes. I am a terrific nurse. (Yes I WILL toot my own horn). When some of you are 63, I hope you remember replying to my post and suggesting jobs that are "more suited" to my age. "Age is just mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter". I feel 17. But I have life experience and nursing experience that is being wasted. It makes me angry. I will be researching legal aspects for the jobs I have been refused while ads are still in the newspaper for those jobs.
Please, don't think that 63 makes me a useless old woman. I am NOT.
I want desperately to be part of an acute care setting either in Gen. Surg, OB or Med/Surg.
Noor

I think my comment may be a bit misleading. I dont think anyone, well, not myself anyway, is focused on your age. My focus would be on the hospital's reaction to your age. I dont think its going to change. Companies get away with a lot worse than this all the time. The local government is not going to take down a hospital for one person. The needs of the many outweigh...................

But who knows, perhaps some day there may be a movie made about you or someone like you who stood up to them. If that is the case, then :bow: , I more than anyone I know love to see the worker give a little back to the abusive establishment.

What I am saying is, hey.........its their loss. They cant see past your age, then dont give them the satisfaction of your services. Honestly, I think there are better doors open to you than a hospital setting. 1:1 care with a family who is willing to give their loved one something better than the warehouse atmosphere of a hospital or nursing home can be challengeing and rewarding. You will be able to practice aspects of nursing that people in the hospital setting are too bussy for. It will be holistic care not possible in the business oriented hospitals/nursing homes.

There are many jobs people will give you they wouldnt give to people who, also being discriminated against because of age, are not considered "mature enough" for.

Take those lemons and make lemon-aid is all I'm saying.

brendajohnson59 · Jan 4, 2009

Good for you Lindarn - i am fully in support of your actions. This is crazy. There are so many nurses out there that can offer a lot to the field - ageism, now, is rampant!

jnette, ASN, EMT-I · Jan 4, 2009

You go, Noor!

Hey, I used to work in dialysis for nearly ten years... while I was in my fifties, and it is no picnic. Up at three a.m.. to be at work at 0400... and run, run, run, bend lift, push, drag, schlepp... all day long. But my coworkers envied my energy levels... yes, I could out run and out lift them.. and did I mention all our supplies were in the basement? So I was also carrying up cases of saline, 20# bags of bicarb on my back... up and down the stairs a dozen times a day.

You bet we can do it. Each individual is just that.. an individual. Age should NOT be a consideration when judging one's ability.. although I do see where managers/emplyers would want to hire the young student for less wages...than the experienced nurse for more $$.

Not that it's right or fair, but I can see how they would do that. :stone

Have you considered home health nursing? I'm quite happy with HH, been doing this the past 2 years now. Hospital and all the annoyances...politics, doctors' attitudes, understaffing, sorry management, etc. is just not my thing. They can have it. I don't need the stress.

But if this is what your heart desires... GO FOR IT !!! :up:

Wish you all the best success in your search, and do keep us posted !:icon_hug:

Noor545 · Jan 4, 2009

I think I just lost the message I wrote - so here goes again.

Is there a thread on this site for we mature, experienced, hard working, well grounded, nurses who happen to be "older" than what the hospital criteria call for? Those of us, for example, who are struggling to find meaningful jobs that we know darn well we can perform (outperform the younger nurses if you will). For those of us who know not only how to treat the Patient, but also how to care for the PERSON.

If there is one, please lead me to it. If there is not one - then let's start one.

Noor

NurSpeak · Jan 9, 2009

Of course, if I had a decent paying job I could afford a lawyer to fight that BUT..........
Why do I see almost all RN job offerings for Dialysis nurses???? Is it because their is poor job retention in Dialysis? Is it because the world needs so many more Dialysis nurses? What's Up?
Thanks,
Noor

As far as hiring a lawyer to fight age discrimination, not necessary. If you're answering ads and have an unencumbered RN license and keep getting turned down, and feel it's ageism, by all means contact your local government EEOC. There is NO cost involved!

As far as the high number of dialysis openings, I've been wondering about that as well. Good luck!!!!

patrick1rn, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 9, 2009

Although I surely welcome all comments - it seems that some of you TOO are focusing on my age. Yes, I am 63. Can I do the running, lifting, etc. that is necessary? YES! I certainly proved that while doing my practicum with the refresher course I took. Do I have experience and knowledge that it took 20+ years to obtain. Do I want an acute care setting with all that goes with it? Yes. I am a terrific nurse. (Yes I WILL toot my own horn). When some of you are 63, I hope you remember replying to my post and suggesting jobs that are "more suited" to my age. "Age is just mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter". I feel 17. But I have life experience and nursing experience that is being wasted. It makes me angry. I will be researching legal aspects for the jobs I have been refused while ads are still in the newspaper for those jobs.
Please, don't think that 63 makes me a useless old woman. I am NOT.
I want desperately to be part of an acute care setting either in Gen. Surg, OB or Med/Surg.
Noor

Noor to be honest, go into a critical care setting like a MICU.

You can focus on 1 to 2 to 3 patients and you dont have to run around with your head cut off

If you feel like you have life experienethat is being wasted, then work in the MICU.

I love it, it pays my bills, I go home after work tired, but knowing I did a good days work.

When I take my vacation at the Catalina Wine Mixer, I tell them I work as a RN in a medical ICU.

They ask.. isnt that stressfull... I tell them... I wouldnt have it any other way...

Which is a lie now of course, i graduated from FNP school, so i can find a day shift position as a midlevel provider as a NP..

lamazeteacher · Jan 9, 2009

I am desperately trying to find a job as an RN. I have been out of hospital practice (in clinics) for about 20 years and took a refresher course with hospital practicum. Did great and got rave reviews - but can find NO JOB. I am sure part of it is my age (63), but it is illegal to discriminate. Of course, if I had a decent paying job I could afford a lawyer to fight that BUT..........
Why do I see almost all RN job offerings for Dialysis nurses???? Is it because their is poor job retention in Dialysis? Is it because the world needs so many more Dialysis nurses? What's Up?
Any answers would help me out here.
Thanks,
Noor

I've previously posted my difficulties retaining jobs that I get, due to my age (69 yo, now). I look about 20 years younger and interview well, have lots of diverse experience (toot-tooting my horn), so I get the jobs for which I interview. They're mainly administrative, but once the health insurance application time arrives, I have to state my birth date. Then silly to bizarre situations come up, and I'm tossed out - about 3-4 months after I started - once after 6 years on nights, when I asked to go on days.

I'd almost rather not get a job than start one, get attached to people and the job, bring pictures, etc. to my office and then have something happen that seems to herald my dismissal. Once, when I was an Employee Health Nurse, a Vice President of the organization for which I worked sent me an email saying that a new PA who was married to a MD, found it inconvenient to have the required drug test. I was to sign him off as having passed it.

I refused, of course and my boss (the VP for Human Resources) came to my office yelling and screaming that I shouldn't have answered the email, and just passed the guy. When I explained the ethics involved, he fired me!

Now, it could have gone the other way if I'd passed the new employee and then was accused of lack of ethical practise. It was a no win situation. In fact, I asked if I could write a letter of resignation and was told that was OK. Later a former co-worker there who I asked to look in my personnel file, said my letter wasn't in the file, and it was noted therein that I had been fired (not why). I hired a labor law attorney who said I'd never get satisfaction from suing them, or money, as age discrimination wasn't a factor, since the health iunsurance application was missing (they didn't submit it, and it was proibably shredded).

{The pay offered flu shot nurses by Maxim, a Home Health agency, is insultingly low. I won't work for their rates, to discourage that practise - but they hire older nurses in the fall. The ANA should really get on thoise folks. I wish I had better news for you. Please keep looking, and communicating here about it.}

A friend then told me that Blue Cross, the health insurance company she had for her business (30 employees). charged $1000/month extra for her husband after he turned 55 yo.(about 20 years ago). They paid it, rather than lose the "good deal" they'd gotten for their other (young) employees. When he turned 65, Blue Cross wouldn't allow his Medicare to be his "primary" insurer, and charged $2500/month in addition to the regular premium.

About the dialysis jobs, I believe the nurses there are young and many work part time without benefits. They have great mobility, with little job retention. Patients I managed for Home Care agencies, told me they never saw the same nurse twice at the large dialysis center they attended. That explains the job availability - large turnover. Also the dialysis companies have many locations and like to advertise for nurses on large websites.

Home Health nursing is great as it offers flexible hours, but no benefits. I've worked for several agencies at a time to have full time employment. If you belong to associations[religious groups that offer health insurance, try that - but be sure to read how much it covers. One was offered to me that cost $325/month, but maximum yearly coverage was $1350...........

Now I'm on Medicare, which isn't perfect. I would never join an HMO that provides medications, as they don't pay for the very ones that work for me! Hopefully the next 4 years will bring more fair administration of labor and health insurance - Universal coverage.

Night Owl RN · Jan 10, 2009

"A friend then told me that Blue Cross, the health insurance company she had for her business (30 employees). charged $1000/month extra for her husband after he turned 55 yo.(about 20 years ago). They paid it, rather than lose the "good deal" they'd gotten for their other (young) employees. When he turned 65, Blue Cross wouldn't allow his Medicare to be his "primary" insurer, and charged $2500/month in addition to the regular premium."

It sounds as if the source of the age bias in hiring really lies with the insurance companies. :twocents:

wyosamRN · Jan 10, 2009

It sounds as if the source of the age bias in hiring really lies with the insurance companies.

While it is probably a combination, I would expect that insurance rates do play into the preference for hiring younger workers. Not only will they work for cheaper wages than those with more experience, but filling the insurance pool with healthy 20 somethings offers major cost savings as well.